High school wrestling: Riverside has two champs at Rumble

Finishing in first place is always fun, but it means a little more to do it at your own tournament.

A couple of first-time champions paved the way for the Beavers to take fourth at the 13th annual Riverside Rumble.

Nick Boggs (138) and Chad Ely (182) both reached and won their title bouts at home for the first time -- it was Ely's first championship in any tournament -- and the Beavers (255 team points) finished behind Hudson (268), Lorain (259) and well behind run-away champs West Branch (369).

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Boggs earned two pins and two major decisions over the weekend, saving his closest match for the finals. He edged Jefferson's Ricker Maple, 3-1, in the title bout and held on during what appeared to be a takedown by Maple in the waning seconds of the third period.

"I honestly thought he got the two (points) and we would go in overtime," said Boggs, who took second at the Solon Comet Classic last week. "I think he kind of gave up at the end, so I think if he would have stayed on longer, he would have scored. I don't mind the result, though."

Ely's championship match was just as close. Trailing Lorain's Aaron Neal, 8-5, entering the third period, Ely got a takedown and three quick back points. He went on to take an 11-8 lead before getting taken down late to win by a single point.

"(Neal) was kind of an awkward wrestler -- I couldn't get a good grip on him," Ely said. "As the match went on, I started to get a little behind. I told myself I had to pick it up, and I was able to come out on top."

Zach Van Pelt (120) took second place, and Brandon Leber (132) and Connor Rigsby (152) took third for the Beavers, who finished one place higher than last year. Boggs and Ely both took third place a year ago and gained a little confidence with some early success.

"This is the first time I've taken first in my entire career," Ely said. "And it feels great to do it, finally, especially at home. I put my standards high -- I expected to take first -- and this sets the tone for the rest of the year. Hopefully, I can do this more this year."

Absent from the weekend tournament was Riverside senior Evan Rosborough (220), who took fourth at the Ironman tournament at Walsh Jesuit.

Euclid finished just behind Riverside in fifth. Both of the Panthers who made title matches lost. Ebrahim Elbagory (113) lost a 22-3 tech fall to Lorain's Devione Edwards, and Jeremy Adkins (126) lost a 4-0 decision to Jefferson's Joey Baitt. Darsheed Mustafa (138) took third for Euclid.

West Geauga's Rob Alcorn, who is legally blind, took first place at 152 pounds. He outlasted West Branch's Kenneth Faulker with a pin in 3 minutes, 53 seconds. Rick Rugg (106) and David Eippert (170) both finished in third for the Wolverines. Alcorn was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player from weight classes 152 to 285.

Geneva's Tyrone Brininger (132) lost a strangely passive title match, 2-1, to Hudson's Nathan Gregory. Neither wrestler earned a takedown, and both of Gregory's points came on stalling penalties. The Eagles' Matt Kozlowski (195) took third.